The present invention relates to iron type golf club heads, and in particular, to an iron type golf club head having an improved hosel structure.
Conventional iron type golf club heads include a hosel having a shaft socket and a base which is attached directly to the heel section of the club head. This type of hosel is offset wherein the shank portion of the hosel protrudes beyond the club face exposing it to a golf ball which, if hit toward the heel area, causes the ball to veer off in an eccentric direction upon striking the pocket formed at the heel section of the club head face and the hosel. The shot, well known in the game as a "shank", occurs because conventional club heads are normally offset rearwardly from the hosel center line and have a rearward face progression. With this conventional structure, a shank results if the club face is swung outside the intended swing path. The offset section of the hosel has a very abrupt or sharp angle ranging from 45.degree. to 90.degree. extending from the club face, creating a very deep pocket at the heel section of the club head. The base of the hosel extends vertically from the bottom of the heel to an upper portion of the heel section of the club head transitioning or connecting to the club face and sole of the club head.
Attempts to produce golf club heads which are shank-proof include my own U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,601,498 and 5,183,255, which are incorporated herein by reference, relating to golf clubs with improved hosel constructions, wherein the hosel is positioned by a connector behind the leading edge of the ball striking face, at the heel portion.
The '498 patent features and discloses that "no portion of the hosel extends beyond the leading edge of the clubface, in a rear to front direction".
Other patents of interest include the following. U.S. Pat. No. 1,550,501 to Byrne shows a golf club head wherein the hosel is connected above the club head body and completely behind the ball striking face, producing a club head wherein the ball striking face is entirely ahead of the center line of the shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,683,036 to Kline discloses a golf iron wherein the hosel is located behind the ball striking face and the longitudinal axis of the hosel is behind or fully to the rear of the club head. Kline teaches that a portion of the heel of the club extends beyond the hosel and the shaft connects to the hosel above at least the heel portion of the club head.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,041 to Barber relates to a club head using a bridging portion connecting the hosel and club head whereby the bridging portion and the hosel are essentially flat surfaces continuous with the surface of the club face.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 302,715 to Petersen shows a low lofted iron wherein the hosel connection is essentially an extension of the ball striking face. The shaft extends into the hosel and terminates above the club head body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,416 to Swanson discloses a club head having a hosel extending rearwardly from the rear face of the blade at the heel end and then is inclined away from the heel and forwardly and upwardly to position the bottom end of the club head shaft forward and above the upper end of the blade.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,594,850 to Perkins and 1,135,621 to Roberts and Canadian Patent No. 447094 to Nilson each disclose a single adjustable golf club head in which the hosel and shaft of the club are rotatably connected to the club head so that the loft of the club may be varied, as desired, for a particular golf shot.
Other patents of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,632,400 to Boone, 5,106,088 to Saito, 5,328,171 to Saito, 5,377,978 to Lee, 5,380,005 to Hau, 5,511,780 to Vadersen, 5,542,666 to Chou, 5,588,922 to Schmidt et al, and D276,836 to Cook.
The present invention provides a shankproof iron type golf club head which improves upon the prior art including the above described patented clubs. The iron type club head of the present invention does not include a shank portion forming a pocket between the base of the hosel and the ball striking face, thus presenting a totally unencumbered ball striking area on the club face between the extremities of the toe and heel portion of the club head.
The hosel structure of the present invention is designed for use with iron type golf club heads ranging in loft from approximately 12 degrees to increased lofts in the range of 60.degree. and 65.degree., and even more. Preferably, a club head body includes a heel portion, a toe portion, a sole or bottom surface, a top ridge and a planar lofted ball striking face. A leading edge is formed at the interface of the ball striking face and the bottom sole surface. The most outward exterior surfaces of the heel portion, toe portion, bottom sole and top ridge define the outer periphery of the club head. The club head body of the present invention is shown with a rear peripheral weight and cavity, but it will be appreciated that the invention is equally applicable to forged type flat back or muscle back head structures.
The golf club head of the present invention includes a J-shaped structure which is permanently and non-rotatably fixed to the club head body at the outer edge of the heel portion forming the outer periphery. The structure includes a hosel which is generally cylindrical in shape and includes, at its upper section, a shaft socket for connection to a club shaft. The lower end of the hosel gradually transitions into a curved connector which together with the hosel, forms a generally J-shape and intersects with the heel portion of the club head. The connector smoothly transitions between the base of the cylindrical hosel and the expansion area of the ball striking face at the extreme heel portion of the club head.
The area between the connector and the expanded section of the ball striking face adjacent to the heel portion is slightly curved but the overall direction is generally parallel to the hosel thereby creating a larger ball striking surface at the heel portion of a standard size club face. This angular relationship and unobstructed configuration adjacent to the heel portion and the connector permits the expansion of an additional safe hitting area on the ball striking face further toward the hosel without being encumbered by the same. It will be appreciated that the lie angle of the hosel will vary slightly from club to club in a set, the longer, less lofted clubs being more upright than the shorter more lofted clubs. Also lie angles vary for golfers of different heights. Therefore, the parallel relationship of the club face and the hosel offset may diverge as much as plus or minus 12 degrees.
The top portion of the connector is coincident with and intersects the top ridge of the club head. The lower edge of the connector intersects the heel portion of the club head body at a point raised above the bottom or sole surface of the club head whereby no portion of the hosel or connector is able to contact the ground surface during the proper execution of a golf shot. The connector is wider and flatter than the cylindrical hosel.
The connector is attached to the club head body outside of the peripheral outer limits whereby no portion of the connector or hosel extends onto or above the ball striking face, thus eliminating the possibility of a "shank" golf shot while providing a full extension of the ball striking face in a heel to toe direction for hitting a golf ball. Stated in other words, the hosel is located in a lateral direction away from the extreme heel end of the club head body by the connector which extends outwardly in a generally toe to heel direction before curving upwardly to meet the hosel which is connected to the shaft and which the hosel is also offset beyond or is positioned in front of the leading edge of the club face. The present invention, unlike the '498 patent, teaches and discloses the displacement of the off-set hosel, "located away from and extending beyond or in front of the leading edge of the ball striking face", in a rear to front direction. This displacement of the offset hosel away from and extending beyond or in front of the leading edge of the ball striking face in a rear to front direction, completely eliminates the "pocket" normally found between a hosel and the heel portion of a conventional type club head, thus totally eliminating the possibility of a "shank" golf shot caused by balls being "trapped" in the "pocket".
The lower portion of the connector, which extends horizontally away from the heel area of the club head, provides considerable clearance above the ground when the club is soled at address and during the lowermost arc of the swing during the proper execution of a golf shot. The connector extends from the top ridge to approximately 3/4 of the height of the club face at the intersection of the heel portion of the club head. The unique hosel construction provides a greater mass concentration toward the middle and upper portions of the club head which transfers more energy to the central section of the club face which also reduces backspin. This produces lower trajectory golf shots, thus preventing ballooning into the wind, rapid elevation and erratic ball flights as often happens with club heads with extreme bottom weighting. The reduction of backspin when a golf ball is struck by the club head of the present invention tends to keep the golf ball on line. By extending the hosel horizontally away from the ball striking face and also forwardly of the leading edge of the clubface, more of the clubface at the heel portion of the club head body is available for meaningful ball contact; up to approximately 1/3 more additional area compared to standard size club faces having conventional hosel structures.
The visual enlargement of the additional hitting area on the clubface is uniquely combined with the relocated, redesigned offset hosel that extends in front of the clubface. This dramatically increases a golfer's confidence and quickly establishes that he can repeatedly make more rewarding, solid ball contacts practically anywhere on the clubface. The present invention accomplishes these improvements while retaining an overall "raditional look", making it more easily acceptable for most golfers, especially the "high handicap" golfers. By locating the offset hosel, substantially away from and in front of the clubface, the hosel is formed at a "set position" ahead of the clubface to enhance obtaining the optimum "hands positioned", forward of the ball, at address for each clubhead. This facilitates making the proper initial golf swing move necessary to cleaning and crisply contact the golf ball, for best results. All of these built-in features are designed to reduce the margin of human error which will provide more enjoyment and lasting satisfaction for all caliber of golfers.
Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a shankproof type golf club head which does not include a traditional type shank portion of an offset hosel and eliminates shanked golf shots.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a shankproof iron type golf club having an offset hosel extending beyond the leading edge of the club face.
Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a traditionally standard size iron type golf club head with an offset hosel forward of the leading edge of the club face and having a greater available hitting area on the ball striking face, particularly at the heel portion of the club face, which instills greater confidence and assurances that acceptable or playable ball contact can be made by the golfer anywhere on the hitting area of the club face.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an iron type golf club face where club head control and stability are greatly improved by providing a club head with resistance to torquing and twisting, particularly when off-center ball contact occurs.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth certain embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification to illustrate the embodiments of the invention which, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.